Rwandans celebrated the birth of 18 baby gorillas at the 10th anniversary of Kwita Izina, the annual gorilla naming ceremony on July 1st. The event was held at the foothills of the Virunga Mountains in Kinigi, Northern Rwanda, and brought together more than 40,000 residents of Musanze District and visitors from all over the world. This year’s Kwita Izina was held under the theme: “A Decade: Conserving-Empowering-Growing.”

 

The CEO of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Ambassador Valentine Rugwabiza said: “We celebrate, for the tenth time, the growth of the gorilla family by naming 18 baby gorillas born over the last year, bringing the total population of the endangered species to over 600 in the Virunga Transboundary Parks.”

 

 

Dr Adam Wu, COO of China Business Network (CBN) gave one of the babe Gorillas a Chinese name "Wang-da" at 10th Kwita Izina in Rwanda.

 

Dr Adam Wu led the delegation of Rwanda fam trip from China said:"I  am enormously honoured to be given the opportunity to name one of the babe gorillas. Rwanda gave me and my follow tour operators and media from China really unforgettable impression and experience. We are more than pleasantly surprised. "

 

He explained that "Wang" means flourishing or prosper, and "Da" means growing or develop, so in Chinese Rwanda means Growing prosperity. "So I hope Wang-da lives up to her name of growing prosperity. I certainly wish Rwanda and Rwandan people growing more and more prosperous!" he said.

 

Dr Adam Wu was also happy to make a donation of 88 pairs of Gum boots so that each visitor has the option of changing into the boots before starting the trek and change back before getting on the vehicles do that visitors will not have to worry about making the cars and hotels or your suitcases dirty and above all the boots should prevent cross contamination.

 

 

The 10th Kwita Izina was marked by a series of activities ranging from conservation, business, cultural and entertainment that led up to the big day. These included the launch of Basumba Primary School in Bigogwe, Nyabihu District. The school of six classrooms was built with funds from the Shared Revenue Scheme which gives 5% of tourism profits from the national park back to the communities surrounding the gorilla habitat.

 

Kwita Izina is inspired by the ancient Rwandan tradition of naming babies soon after they are born. The ceremony has transformed from being a local event in 2005 to becoming an international gorilla conservation event that also promotes tourism. Early this year, Kwita Izina won second prize in the UNWTO Ulysses Award for Innovation in Public Policy and Governance.  In the nine years since the event was established, 161 gorillas have been named in a celebration of nature and the communities who protect the majestic mountain gorilla.

 

This year’s Kwita Izina has attracted over 470 international guests from countries including Kenya, Nigeria, China, Uganda, Tanzania, Somalia, Russia, Japan, South Sudan, South Africa, Gabon, Ghana, among others.

Related News in Chinese: 中国商务集团首席运营官吴亚当博士为大猩猩取名